This repository is a collection of experimental prototypes and the final project results developed in the DFG-funded project SoNAR(IDH).
- the visualizations are based on HTML, CSS and JavaScript using the visualization library D3.js
- while the overview view uses pre-processed data (see Data Analysis), the data for the search-based exploration is retrieved live (see below)
- currently, the prototype visualizations do not use frameworks for more modular DOM management. For a follow-up project we recommend the use of frameworks like Vue.js or Svelte to reduce maintenance effort
- currently the visualizations are mostly based on SVGs, in the future a switch to Canvas or WebGL would be advisable for performance reasons
- currently several queries are sent one after the other and then combined in the browser for the visualization. This leads to duplicates and multiple queried nodes, which slow down the processing and increase the amount of data. With more know-how regarding the production of specific complex queries, the performance could probably be improved significantly, at least in part
The prototypes use a jquery AJAX request to connect with the neo4J database. The code relies on many hard-coded label names, therefor a use with other data will in most cases need significant editing. The neo4J database can be used local or online, thogh credentials are not hidden and our SoNAR database is set up in read-only mode. To use another database change the "url-link", "neo4jLogin" and "neo4jPassword":
$.ajax({
url: "https://h2918680.stratoserver.net:7473/db/data/transaction/commit",
type: 'POST',
data: JSON.stringify({
"statements": [{
"statement": cypherStatement,
"resultDataContents": ["graph"]
}
],
}),
contentType: 'application/json',
beforeSend: function(xhr) {
xhr.setRequestHeader('Authorization', 'Basic ' + btoa(neo4jLogin + ':' + neo4jPassword));
},
accept: 'application/json; charset=UTF-8'
}).done(function(data) {
}d3.v5.min.js → D3.js: data-driven visualization library based on JavaScript
jquery.min.js → jQuery: JavaScript library
netClustering.js → netClustering: detects clusters in networks using the Clauset, Newman and Moore community detection algorithm
d3-weighted-voronoi.js and d3-voronoi-map.js → d3-weighted-voronoi and d3-voronoi-map
Google Fonts: Open Sans & Material Icons → Open Sans, Material Icons
The visualization concepts in SoNAR(IDH) were developed iteratively and included many small and experimental prototypes that were not created with the approach the data, open up new pathways, to find problems or challenges with the data, or to communicate with our project partners and domain experts for historical network analysis. For further details see the project documentation of AP3. The following list displays and links to code of selected results (note: the code is not yet fully cleaned/commented):
The finalized prototype is a first attempt to combine the SoNAR (IDH) project results inside one functional prototype. Building on the preceding prototyping process, different views were developed that allow exploration of the data from different perspectives and with a focus on a variety of data dimensions. The web-based visualization is thereby divided into two main components:
- A data overview entry, which allows researchers to get a sense of whether SoNAR might be relevant to their specific research field.
- Search-based views, which are based on targeted queries for an entity, provide different perspectives on the data and offer detailed filtering options.
Views have thus emerged that contrast a whole-data, accumulated overview view as an entry point with individual search-based views. Here, one starts from something small (a search query), and can expand it exploratively as needed.
Part of the project SoNAR (IDH), a collobaration between Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Künstliche Intelligenz, FH Potsdam, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin and Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf.
Project partner responsible for the interface design and data visualization: UCLAB, FH Potsdam – University of Applied Sciences
- Mark-Jan Bludau: concept development & coding
- Marian Dörk: project lead at FH Potsdam
MIT License
Copyright (c) Mark-Jan Bludau, Marian Dörk, SoNAR Team and contributors
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